The Noma Guide to Fermentation

Starred review from October 1, 2018
Frequently lauded as one of the world’s best restaurants and recipient of two Michelin stars, Copenhagen’s Noma is known worldwide for the creativity and resourcefulness of head chef René Redzepi (Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine) and his staff. Here, Redzepi and Zilber, Noma’s head of fermentation, share their insights in a wildly practical and fascinating examination of one of the world’s oldest methods of food preservation. Beginning with simple lacto-fermented recipes (just add salt) using plums, blueberries, and porcini mushrooms, the chefs gradually up the fermentation ante, culminating with the highly concentrated and wildly funky garum, an umami-packed cousin to fish sauce; the Noma crew also makes a beef-based version. Practical applications abound, such as DIY lemon verbena kombucha, whiskey vinegar, and shoyu-buttermilk fried chicken (add shoyu to buttermilk for the marinade). Recipes are clearly written and accompanied by more than 500 photos. Whether readers opt for a DIY fermentation chamber using a restaurant speed rack or a basic Styrofoam cooler, if they follow the instructions to the letter, including cleanliness (“remember, you’re playing with live ammo,” the authors caution), they’re bound to wind up with not just a new culinary skill but a deeper appreciation for this ancient technique.